In the Economist "The World in 2006 print edition", there is a very good article about video games and advanced technology (registration required). Its claim is that previously the most advanced computer technology in the world could be found in research laboratories or corporate data-centres. Now ...
Game controller trick for Katamari Damacy
Via, this impressive game-controller trick to be used in Katamari Damacy for getting one million roses. Why do I blog this? this is is a good expression of gamers' creativity to achieve their game goals. I also like the idea of using additional artifacts to act on the game. The use of rubber bands...
Clumsy automation and user surprises
One of the outcome of my research lately is that automating location-awareness might be detrimental to group collaboration in mobile settings (more about it in this paper .pdf). The concept of automation drawbacks has been already adresses in human-computer interaction and is often refered to as "c...
Leapfrogging in Eastern Europe
Leapfrogging is not only for third-world countries. There is this relevant information in the NYT/IHT today: A recent survey of how the Internet is being used in Europe shows that in some key areas, the east is ahead. It's a symptom of the "leapfrog effect," in which technology laggards skip a coup...
A wearable location tracking-device by solar cells
Some good folks in Zurich are working on using solar cells to measure distance indoors. It's called Luxtrace: a wearable location tracking by solar cells. It's described in "Towards LuxTrace: Using Solar Cells to Measure Distance Indoors" by Julian Randall, Oliver Amft, and Gerhard Troster (Wearabl...
Inflatable module
A personal rescue system “Savior” as a pneumatic braking cone equipped with mini-compressor, and a dummy. This inflatable module is meant for rescuing both people and valuable cargo from high-rise buildings in case of fires and other calamities. ...
Multiple Space Management
A. Dix, A. Friday, B. Koleva, T. Rodden, H. Muller, C. Randell, A. Steed, "Managing multiple spaces" In P. Turner, E. Davenport (eds.) Space, Spatiality and Technologies, Kluwer, 2005. The authors' aim is analyse the way in which multiple spaces, both virtual and physical, can co-exist. By this we...
Ambient Peacock Explorer
The Ambient peacock explorer is a project by Cati Vaucelle and Philip Vriend which I like. It's actually an interesting mobile unit that can be connected to an headquarter, here is the mobile unit: mobile units: Independent from the headquarter / One shell per context of exploration / Shell inflat...
Social Psychology and User Experience of Technology Studies
Recently, while re-doing my PhD mindmap, I thought again and again at methodologies to analyze user experienec in the context of mobile collaboration using certain technologies (e.g. lbs). One of the inspiring field is social psychology. I tried to think about some connection between social psychol...
Chewing Gum Art
(via) Yes, chewing gums on the pavement could be turned into art piece: see here or their Here is the artist - in action - : The world of chewing gum is impressive. ...